Captain's profile: Rikus Bothma

Paarl Gimnasium boast the best schoolboy rugby captain in the country in Rikus Bothma.

The hard-running eighthman captained Western Province with aplomb and capped an outstanding 2013 Craven Week by being named the South African Schools captain for the upcoming clashes with England, France and Wales.

“Playing Craven Week was an unforgettable experience and an honour, as is captaining Paarl Gim,” said the 17-year-old, who also made the Western Province squad last year.

An all-action loose forward, Bothma is an aggressive defender, prolific try scorer and possesses an impressive record as Paarl Gim captain. He prides himself on his discipline and temperament and strives to lead by example by playing a clean and physical game.

While a bright future beckons for Bothma, he’s not one to get ahead of himself and is fully focused on the mammoth task at hand – leading his side into battle in the much-anticipated derby against Paarl Boys’ High on Saturday.

“Games between us are always 50/50 games. They will be coming all out and play with good spirit, so we are expecting a tough game,” he said.

“Having said that, we see it as just another game and respect them like we do all other teams. For us, it’s important that we stick to our structures…all our players are ready for Saturday.”